2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL dimensions

This could impair the handling characteris-
tics.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis-
sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion.
Notes on towing a trailer
General notes The following models cannot be used to tow a
trailer: R
GLE 550 e 4MATIC Sport Utility Vehicle R
Do not exceed the legally prescribed max-
imum speed for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions in the relevant country.
This lowers the risk of an accident. R
Only install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information on availability and on
installation is available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. R
The bumpers of your vehicle are not suita-
ble for installing detachable trailer cou-
plings. R
Do not install hired trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings on the
bumpers of your vehicle. R
If you no longer need the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess.
This will reduce the risk of damage to the
ball coupling.
When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the
maximum load. You will find the values in the
tire pressure table in the fuel filler flap of the
vehicle ( Y
page 425).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the
following driving systems have limited avail-
ability or are not available at all: R
PARKTRONIC ( Y
page 224)R
Blind Spot Assist ( Y
page 244)R
Active Lane Keeping Assist ( Y
page 251) You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" ( Y
page 457).
Driving tips Observe the information on ESP ®
trailer sta-
bilization ( Y
page 75) and on pulling away with
a trailer ( Y
page 168).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max-
imum permissible speed is. Observe the
legally prescribed maximum speed in the rel-
evant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See "Technical data" to
find out whether this applies to your vehicle
( Y
page 458). If you utilize any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 60 mph
(100 km/h) for reasons concerning the oper-
ating permit. This also applies in countries in
which the permissible maximum speed for
vehicle/trailer combinations is above 60 mph
(100 km/ h) .
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift into a lower gear in good time
on long and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so that less braking will be required to main-
tain the speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.264
Towing a trailer
Driving and parking

so will result in a loss of function of the
brake systems of both the vehicle and the
trailer. X
Shift the transmission to position P .X
Apply the vehicle's electric parking brake. X
Start the engine. X
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select highway level. X
Vehicles with ADS: set ADS to AUTO or
COMF .X
Switch off the engine. X
Close the doors and tailgate. X
Couple up the trailer. X
Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer. X
Check that the trailer lighting system is
working.
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
with a trailer attached, the vehicle will
always remain at highway level. When cou-
pling up a trailer, please observe the fol-
lowing: R
Unless highway level has been set man-
ually, the vehicle is automatically low-
ered to highway level. This is the case if a
speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) is reached. R
High-speed level is not available.
These restrictions apply to all accessories
powered through a connection to the trailer
power socket of your vehicle, e.g. a bicycle
carrier.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law: R
Safety chains between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. The chains should be cross-
wound under the trailer drawbar. They must
be fastened to the vehicle's trailer cou-
pling, not to the bumper or the axle. Leave enough play in the chains to make
tight cornering possible. R
A separate brake system for certain types
of trailer. R
Safety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to
your state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the
towing vehicle, the safety switch applies
the trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed
restrictions. Make sure that your car/trailer
combination complies with the local regula-
tions: R
in your place of residence R
in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide
reliable information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer: R
To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling charac-
teristics, you should practice the following
in a traffic-free location: -
cornering -
stopping -
backing up R
Before driving, check: -
trailer tow hitch -
safety switch for braked trailers -
safety chains -
electrical connections -
lights -
wheels R
Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer. R
If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually Towing a trailer 267
Driving and parking Z

X
Detach the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. X
Switch off the engine.
Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
The gross trailer weight is calculated by add-
ing the weight of the trailer to the weight of
the load and equipment on the trailer.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" ( Y
page 457).
Permissible noseweight
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" ( Y
page 457).
Loading a trailer R
When loading the trailer, make sure that
neither the permissible gross weight of the
trailer nor the gross vehicle weight is
exceeded. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible val-
ues on the type plates of your vehicle and
the trailer. When calculating how much
weight the vehicle and trailer may carry,
pay attention to the respective lowest val-
ues. R
The trailer drawbar load on the ball coupling
must be added to the rear axle load to avoid
exceeding the permissible gross axle
weight. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends a trailer
load where the trailer drawbar noseweight accounts for 8% to 15% of the trailer's per-
missible gross weight.
i The weight of additional accessories, pas-
sengers, and cargo reduces the permissi-
ble trailer load and drawbar load for your
vehicle.
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight R
To check that the weights of the towing
vehicle and the trailer comply with the max-
imum permissible values, have the vehicle/
trailer combination (including the driver,
passengers, and cargo with a fully laden
trailer) weighed on a calibrated weigh-
bridge. R
Check the gross axle weight rating of the
front and rear axles, the gross weight of the
trailer and trailer drawbar load.
Removing the ball coupling X
Remove the spring cotter. X
Remove the bolt from the ball coupling
recess. X
Remove the ball coupling from the ball cou-
pling recess. X
Clean the ball coupling if it is dirty. X
Stow the ball coupling so that it cannot be
thrown around.
Observe the loading guidelines ( Y
page 340)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces ( Y
page 341).
Information on cleaning and care of the trailer
tow hitch ( Y
page 381).
Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories with a max-
imum power consumption of 240 W to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using
the power supply.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped
at the factory with a permanent power supply. Towing a trailer 269
Driving an d parking Z

Example: tire pressure table for all tires permitted
for this vehicle by the factory
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Example: tire pressure table with tire dimensions
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tire
pressure information following is only valid
for that tire size. The load conditions "partially
laden" and "fully laden" are defined in the
table for different numbers of occupants and
amounts of luggage. The actual number of
seats may differ. Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.
R18 . Rim diameter is part of the tire size and
can be found on the tire sidewall
( Y
page 421).
If the tire pressures have been set to the
lower values for lighter loads and/or lower
road speeds, the pressures should be reset to
the higher values: R
if you want to drive with an increased load
and/or R
if you want to drive at higher road speeds
i The tire pressures for increased loads
and/or higher road speeds, shown in the
tire pressure table, may have a negative
effect on driving comfort.
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this
can lead to an excessive build-up of heat and
a sudden loss of pressure.
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Important notes on tire pressure
G WARNING
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tire may be damaged. Tire
pressure that is too low may result in a tire
blow-out. There is a risk of an accident. R
Check the tire for foreign objects. R
Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tire
valves, the tire valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tire pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tire pres-
sure monitors keep the tire valve open. This
can also result in tire pressure loss. There is a
risk of an accident. Tire pressure 409
Wheels and tires Z

GL 63 AMG 4MATIC Summer tires
R 21
Tires Alloy wheels
BA: 295/40 ZR 21 111 Y XL 3
BA: 10.0 J x 21 H2
Wheel offset: 1.81 in (46 mm)
Winter tires
R 20
Tires Alloy wheels
BA: 275/45 R 20 110 V XL M+S M BA: 9.0 J x 20 H2
Wheel offset: 1.61 in (41 mm)
Emergency spare wheel
Important safety notes
G WARNING
The wheel or tire size as well as the tire type of
the spare wheel or emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ.
Mounting an emergency spare wheel may
severely impair the driving characteristics.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations: R
adapt your driving style accordingly and
drive carefully. R
never mount more than one spare wheel or
emergency spare wheel that differs in size. R
only use a spare wheel or emergency spare
wheel of a different size briefly. R
do not switch ESP ®
off.R
have a spare wheel or emergency spare
wheel of a different size replaced at the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
Observe that the wheel and tire dimensions
as well as the tire type must be correct.
! AMG vehicles with "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel: use the "Minispare" emergency spare wheel only on the rear
axle . If you mount the "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel on the front axle, this
could result in damage to the brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an
intact wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The faulty wheel on the front
axle may only then be replaced by the
undamaged wheel from the rear axle.
Make sure to note the placard on the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
When using an emergency spare wheel or
spare wheel of a different size, you must not
exceed the maximum speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Snow chains must not be mounted on emer-
gency spare wheels.
General notes
Mounting the emergency spare wheel is
described under "Mounting a wheel"
( Y
page 428).
You should regularly check the pressure of
the emergency spare wheel, particularly prior
to long trips, and correct the pressure as nec-3
Use of snow chains not permitted. Observe the notes in the "Snow chains" section.438
Emergency spare wheel
Wheels and tires

Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package:
the maximum gradient climbing ability is
100% when the LOW RANGE off-road gear is
selected.
Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD pack-
age: the maximum gradient climbing ability is
80%.
Accelerate carefully and make sure that the
wheels do not spin when driving on steep ter-
rain.
i If the load on the front axle is reduced
when pulling away on a steep uphill slope,
the front wheels have a tendency to spin.
4ETS recognizes this and brakes the
wheels accordingly. The rear wheel torque
is increased, making it easier to drive off.
For further information about the maximum
gradient climbing ability, see ( Y
page 202).
Trailer tow hitch
Mounting dimensions
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the cooling system and drive
train may be necessary, depending on the
vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chas-
sis frame. C
Anchorage points for the trailer tow hitch D
Rear axle center lineTrailer tow hitch 457
Technical data Z

Ball position of the ball coupling
When choosing a ball coupling, the dimensions stated in the illustration must not be exceeded. Trailer tow hitch 459
Technical data Z